Doing Well After Surgery

swt_reyes
swt_reyes Member Posts: 28
edited March 2014 in Thyroid Cancer #1
I wanted to let you guys know my surgery went very well. It only my surgeon an 1 ½ to complete my TT. When they woke me in recovery my blood pressure shot up sky high and they had to give me 3 different kinds of medz to bring it back down, however they said this was normal after surgery. My Calcium levels were fine, which I take calcium supplements with vitamin D in it on a regular basis because it is good for you, as well I take iron and women’s one a day regular vitamins. They also had the nurses giving me calcium while I was in the hospital; which was about 24 hrs. My surgeon removed my whole thyroid and lymph nodes.

I hope you guys do not kick me out of your discussion board, yet I am proud to say they found NO CANCER =) I am very happy about that, however it did surprise me given all the signs of the testing’s that had been done were leaning towards cancer, so YEAH for ME, I am very HAPPY.

One thing I have had problems with since the surgery is using the bathroom. Urination is so hard I practically have to force myself to go and my bladder is so full my stomach is bloated yet the urine doesn’t want to come out =( I was thinking that maybe it might just be my kidneys going into shock from removal of the thyroid, but a week later it is still hard to go! I am on 125mcg of synthroid and I weigh 175 lbs. Does this sound about right? I do not know too much about the medicine part of this process. Why is it so hard for me to urinate? I see my Doc on tomorrow so hopefully she can figure out for sure what’s going on with my kidneys.

Thanks so much for all the thoughts, wishes and prayers from you ALL,
Sincerely,
~Christy~

Comments

  • emsavard
    emsavard Member Posts: 3
    #2
    Glad to read that you are
    Glad to read that you are doing well after your surgery. Let's hope your kidney problem gets resolved soon! You wrote that you take calcium and a women's one a day. Just wanted to point out to you, as I hope your doctor has, that you should allow 5 hours after taking your Synthroid before taking any vitamins or minerals such as calcium or iron.
  • sunnyaz
    sunnyaz Member Posts: 582
    #3
    Surgery
    Wow! This is great news! So glad they didn't find cancer. I am about the same weight and I take 175 mcg's of Synthroid. They will check your TSH levels about two weeks after surgery to see if you need a larger or smaller dose. I take a larger does because I was positive for cancer, this might be the difference. They try to keep us Hyperthyroid for reasons unknown to me, for at least a year or more after cancer is found.

    I don't understand the problem with urination. Did you have a catheter? I didn't have one for any of my surgeries and I can't imagine why they would cath you if they did. This can cause a UTI or bladder infection; thus causing difficulty or painful urination. Probably ask the doc about a Renal function blood test and a Urine Micro Albumin.

    Of course we aren't going to kick you off the boards! You are still Thyroidless. Keep us posted.
    Julie-SunnyAZ
  • nasher
    nasher Member Posts: 505 Member
    #4
    no we wouldnt kick you from
    no we wouldnt kick you from the board you have made a condition most of us want ... you do not have thyroid cancer.

    Drugs that may decrease T4 absorption, which may result in hypothyroidism
    Antacids
    - Aluminum & Magnesium
    Hydroxides
    - Simethicone
    Bile Acid Sequestrants
    - Cholestyramine
    - Colestipol
    Calcium Carbonate
    Cation Exchange Resins
    - Kayexalate
    Ferrous Sulfate
    Orlistat
    Sucralfate

    Concurrent use may reduce the efficacy of levothyroxine by binding and delaying or preventing absorption, potentially resulting in hypothyroidism. Calcium carbonate may form an insoluble chelate with levothyroxine, and ferrous sulfate likely forms a ferric-thyroxine complex. Administer levothyroxine at least 4 hours apart from these agents. Patients treated concomitantly with orlistat and levothyroxine should be monitored for changes in thyroid function.

    make sure you check drug interactions with all your drugs... vitimins.. supplements... herbal remodies cause these can all alter how much you get
  • swt_reyes
    swt_reyes Member Posts: 28
    #5
    emsavard said:

    Glad to read that you are
    Glad to read that you are doing well after your surgery. Let's hope your kidney problem gets resolved soon! You wrote that you take calcium and a women's one a day. Just wanted to point out to you, as I hope your doctor has, that you should allow 5 hours after taking your Synthroid before taking any vitamins or minerals such as calcium or iron.

    ~Hello~
    No I was not made aware of this. Thanks so much for informing me!

    ~C.Reyes~
  • swt_reyes
    swt_reyes Member Posts: 28
    #6
    emsavard said:

    Glad to read that you are
    Glad to read that you are doing well after your surgery. Let's hope your kidney problem gets resolved soon! You wrote that you take calcium and a women's one a day. Just wanted to point out to you, as I hope your doctor has, that you should allow 5 hours after taking your Synthroid before taking any vitamins or minerals such as calcium or iron.

    ~Hello~
    No I was not made aware of this. Thanks so much for informing me!

    ~C.Reyes~
  • swt_reyes
    swt_reyes Member Posts: 28
    #7
    sunnyaz said:

    Surgery
    Wow! This is great news! So glad they didn't find cancer. I am about the same weight and I take 175 mcg's of Synthroid. They will check your TSH levels about two weeks after surgery to see if you need a larger or smaller dose. I take a larger does because I was positive for cancer, this might be the difference. They try to keep us Hyperthyroid for reasons unknown to me, for at least a year or more after cancer is found.

    I don't understand the problem with urination. Did you have a catheter? I didn't have one for any of my surgeries and I can't imagine why they would cath you if they did. This can cause a UTI or bladder infection; thus causing difficulty or painful urination. Probably ask the doc about a Renal function blood test and a Urine Micro Albumin.

    Of course we aren't going to kick you off the boards! You are still Thyroidless. Keep us posted.
    Julie-SunnyAZ

    ~Hello~
    I know it is GREAT information right! =) I have been back to all 3 of my Doc's and my synthroid levels are good, calcium a lil low but Doc said it's nothing to worry about and all those test on my kidneys were performed and results came back normal. The first week after surgery that was the only problem, besides small considerable amounts of pain, then the second week was horrible! I do not know why but the second week of recovery was harder than the first, probly b/c the first week I was not resting, I was up taking care of my family as if I were normal. Well it definately hit me the next week, but today I feeling much better and thought I would update everyone how I am doing w/o my thyroid. Hope all is well with you =)

    ~Christy~
  • swt_reyes
    swt_reyes Member Posts: 28
    #8
    nasher said:

    no we wouldnt kick you from
    no we wouldnt kick you from the board you have made a condition most of us want ... you do not have thyroid cancer.

    Drugs that may decrease T4 absorption, which may result in hypothyroidism
    Antacids
    - Aluminum & Magnesium
    Hydroxides
    - Simethicone
    Bile Acid Sequestrants
    - Cholestyramine
    - Colestipol
    Calcium Carbonate
    Cation Exchange Resins
    - Kayexalate
    Ferrous Sulfate
    Orlistat
    Sucralfate

    Concurrent use may reduce the efficacy of levothyroxine by binding and delaying or preventing absorption, potentially resulting in hypothyroidism. Calcium carbonate may form an insoluble chelate with levothyroxine, and ferrous sulfate likely forms a ferric-thyroxine complex. Administer levothyroxine at least 4 hours apart from these agents. Patients treated concomitantly with orlistat and levothyroxine should be monitored for changes in thyroid function.

    make sure you check drug interactions with all your drugs... vitimins.. supplements... herbal remodies cause these can all alter how much you get

    ~Hello~
    Your medical terminology is much greater than mine, lol. I was not informed of the interactions. I actually asked my surgeon this question! He said there was nothing to worry about when it comes to drug interaction b/c synthroid is the same exact hormones the thyroid produces, which in turn I could go on living as if nothing had happened as far as this topic is concerned.....as long as I take my syntroid that is, haha. Well thanks so much for the great advice I will definately keep it in mind.

    ~C.Reyes~
  • nasher
    nasher Member Posts: 505 Member
    #9
    swt_reyes said:

    ~Hello~
    Your medical terminology is much greater than mine, lol. I was not informed of the interactions. I actually asked my surgeon this question! He said there was nothing to worry about when it comes to drug interaction b/c synthroid is the same exact hormones the thyroid produces, which in turn I could go on living as if nothing had happened as far as this topic is concerned.....as long as I take my syntroid that is, haha. Well thanks so much for the great advice I will definately keep it in mind.

    ~C.Reyes~

    Yes by medical terms there
    Yes by medical terms there are no interactions

    BUT!!!

    Since you are now getting your thyroid hormones by digestion rather than from your thyroid gland there are things that will reduce the absorption of the synthroid.

    when doctors think of drug interactions they think of now that you have had x or take x you can no longer take y drug.

    There is a lot of information out there and the doctors do not know everything.

    Think of it this way

    A general doctor gets maybe 1 week of training on each type of disease / procedure they they do not specialize in.

    Your endocrinologist has a lot more knowledge about thyroid issues but they take care of the entire endocrine system

    diabetes
    thyroid diseases
    metabolic disorders
    over or under production of hormones
    menopause
    osteoporosis
    hypertension
    cholesterol (lipid) disorders
    infertility
    lack of growth (short stature)
    cancers of the endocrine glands

    An Oncologist deals with cancers but there are over 100 major classes of cancer plus all the sub categories.

    You have to become the expert. You have 1 body and you know your aches pains and problems better than a doctor dose. Take there knowledge and what they tell you then do your own research.

    in 2010 according to the National Cancer Institute there were 44,670 new cases and 1690 deaths do to thyroid cancer in the US out of about 312,000,000 people so about 1 in 7000 people in the US where diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2010. and about 1 in 190,000 people in the US died from thyroid cancer.

    For 2010, the American Cancer Society predicts 1,529,560 new cancer cases and 569,490 cancer deaths. so you can see oncologists may not know a lot about thyroid cancer compared to others.

    So again You have to become the medical expert.

    I got the results of one set of blood tests and the normal’s they had on the page were for a person with normal functioning thyroid.. Actually they were values that had changed about 2 years before but the labs had not caught up to the new numbers.

    my wife has had a bariatric weight loss surgery and her primary care doctor admits he has no clue on the drugs she can’t take and what specialized care she needs. In fact we have a list of meds she cannot take cause of the surgery and got to watch to make sure the doc doesn’t prescribe her any.

    The people on this board also help a lot since most of them have the same questions or have more knowledge about thyroid cancer because we do the research ourselves.

    I went for 39+ years before I realized that I needed to learn all this stuff because the doctor’s just don’t have enough knowledge about your individual case.

    Good luck and keep us informed on your progress

    Craig


    ... forgot to add...
    also you should speak to a nutritionist and have them look at your nutrition levels they might find other things they can help you with and most medical coverage will take the entire cost of talking to a nutritionist
  • swt_reyes
    swt_reyes Member Posts: 28
    #10
    nasher said:

    Yes by medical terms there
    Yes by medical terms there are no interactions

    BUT!!!

    Since you are now getting your thyroid hormones by digestion rather than from your thyroid gland there are things that will reduce the absorption of the synthroid.

    when doctors think of drug interactions they think of now that you have had x or take x you can no longer take y drug.

    There is a lot of information out there and the doctors do not know everything.

    Think of it this way

    A general doctor gets maybe 1 week of training on each type of disease / procedure they they do not specialize in.

    Your endocrinologist has a lot more knowledge about thyroid issues but they take care of the entire endocrine system

    diabetes
    thyroid diseases
    metabolic disorders
    over or under production of hormones
    menopause
    osteoporosis
    hypertension
    cholesterol (lipid) disorders
    infertility
    lack of growth (short stature)
    cancers of the endocrine glands

    An Oncologist deals with cancers but there are over 100 major classes of cancer plus all the sub categories.

    You have to become the expert. You have 1 body and you know your aches pains and problems better than a doctor dose. Take there knowledge and what they tell you then do your own research.

    in 2010 according to the National Cancer Institute there were 44,670 new cases and 1690 deaths do to thyroid cancer in the US out of about 312,000,000 people so about 1 in 7000 people in the US where diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2010. and about 1 in 190,000 people in the US died from thyroid cancer.

    For 2010, the American Cancer Society predicts 1,529,560 new cancer cases and 569,490 cancer deaths. so you can see oncologists may not know a lot about thyroid cancer compared to others.

    So again You have to become the medical expert.

    I got the results of one set of blood tests and the normal’s they had on the page were for a person with normal functioning thyroid.. Actually they were values that had changed about 2 years before but the labs had not caught up to the new numbers.

    my wife has had a bariatric weight loss surgery and her primary care doctor admits he has no clue on the drugs she can’t take and what specialized care she needs. In fact we have a list of meds she cannot take cause of the surgery and got to watch to make sure the doc doesn’t prescribe her any.

    The people on this board also help a lot since most of them have the same questions or have more knowledge about thyroid cancer because we do the research ourselves.

    I went for 39+ years before I realized that I needed to learn all this stuff because the doctor’s just don’t have enough knowledge about your individual case.

    Good luck and keep us informed on your progress

    Craig


    ... forgot to add...
    also you should speak to a nutritionist and have them look at your nutrition levels they might find other things they can help you with and most medical coverage will take the entire cost of talking to a nutritionist

    Thanks for the great Info
    I appreciate the help and agree with everything you have stated! You have opened my eyes and I will be researching and keeping every one posted. I really appreciate it!

    Wish you & your wife the best & everyone on this site who has these issues!

    GodBless All,
    ~Christy~

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